84-year-old sentenced to life in prison for killing Minneapolis woman more than 50 years ago

A Minnesota man, Jon Keith Miller, will spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading "no contest" to the 1974 murder of Mary Schlais, a 25-year-old woman he picked up hitchhiking. The case had remained unsolved for nearly five decades until Miller was charged with first-degree intentional homicide in November 2023. Schlais was found dead in Spring Brook, Wisconsin, on February 15, 1974, when Miller was 33 years old.

Despite the long investigation, the case languished in obscurity due to a witness misremembering the color of Miller's car and a stocking cap left at the scene. It took advancements in forensic technology, specifically genetic genealogy, to reignite interest in the case, leading to Miller's arrest. This method has been effective in solving cold cases, including the notorious Golden State Killer case in 2018.

In an interview, Miller confessed his intentions to reporters, revealing that he had stabbed Schlais when she rejected his advances. He was unaware that his stocking cap had been discovered until investigators showed him a photo of it during the more recent probe into the case. On the day of his court appearance, MIiller indicated his desire to plead guilty, stating, "Why go through all the mess? Put me away for the rest of my life."

During the hearing, Miller opted not to speak but was confronted with portions of his past interviews, where he admitted he had not thought much about the murder over the years. The prosecution also presented evidence from the initial investigation that connected him to the crime scene, emphasizing the prolonged impact of Schlais’s death on her family.

Schlais was an honors graduate of the University of Minnesota, embarking on a hitchhiking trip to Chicago for an art show when tragedy struck. Dunn County Sheriff Kevin Bygd noted that in the 1970s, hitchhiking was more common, highlighting how societal concerns have shifted since then due to incidents like this. Family members of Schlais were present in court, seeking closure as justice was finally served after decades.